# Accident 20180812011039A: Piper PA-32R-300, South Beloit, IL, August 12, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 12, 2018, 08:00 local time
- Place: South Beloit, IL
- Airport: Beloit
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4922° N, 88.9836° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4922&lon=-88.9836&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9894K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9894K-2021-07-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32R-300 (registry code 7103213, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32R-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,500 total, 800 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA328) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180812011039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

N9894K DEPARTED RUNWAY 25 AT THE BELOIT AIRPORT, BELOIT, WISCONSIN (44C). THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD ?BANG? SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION AND THAT THE UPPER NOSE COWLING CAME LOOSE FOLLOWING THE ?BANG.? THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INITIALLY REDUCED THE POWER TO TRY TO LAND BACK ON RUNWAY 25, BUT, AFTER DETERMINING THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY TO EXECUTE THE LANDING HE DECIDED TO ADD POWER TO CLIMB. DURING THE LEFT-CROSSWIND TURN, THE PILOT BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE NOSE COWLING WOULD COMPLETELY DETACH AND CRASH THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SUSTAIN A CLIMB AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORNFIELD SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT.

THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED; THE OTHER PASSENGER AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN18LA328](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA328), Aug 12, 2018: Piper PA32R (N9894K), South Beloit, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed after being startled and distracted when the engine cowling opened during takeoff, which led to a subsequent impact with terrain.

## Other reports on N9894K (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20040913034849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040913034849I), Sep 13, 2004: Piper PA32R300 (N9894K), Precatonica, IL. (-23) Aircraft was flying straight and level at 2,500 MSL when the engine shook, then quit. The pilot was able to land the aircraft on a rural road without…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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